Arch-supporter.



A. QUENZER.

ARCH SUPPORTER.

APPLICATION FILED IULY23,190B.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

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' 388 Chauncey street, Brooklyn,

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ARCH-SUPPORTER- v Specification of Letters Patent. V

Application filed July 23, 1908. Serial No. 445,026.

Patented Mar. 21,1911.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, ARTHUR-QUENZER, a citizen of the United States,residing at in the county of Kings and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Arch-Supporters, ofwhich thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a bandage to support the arch of deformed orflat feet caused by insufficient strength of the ligaments to hold thearch in its natural position; and the object of my invention is toprovide an easy and flexible bandage-support which will raise the archgradually by gentle pressure and assist the foot to assume its naturalposition, and which may be worn inside of the shoe without causing thewearer pain or inconvenience. I attain these objects b means of thesupporting device illustrate in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is a side view of my arch supposition on a foot, the shoe beingpartly broken away. Fig. 2 1s a cross section through the supporter andfoot through the line 22 of Fig. l, to show the manner of securing thesupporter on the foot. Fig. 3 is a plan bottom view of my supporter,with the outside casing or cover partly broken away to show .thecorrugations which I provide in the body piirtion of the supporter.

The main port-ion or body of the supporter is preferably made of liableresilient material, and I have found that rubber is suitable for thispurpose. The body is made of such a shape as to conform to the arch ofthe foot, gradually tapering in thickness from the inside to the outsideof the foot, as shown in cross-section in Fig. 2.

It hasQbeen proposed to cut notches or slots on the inner side of thesupporter in order that it may more easily adjust itself to theconformation of the foot and yield to the movements thereof, but thisweakens the supporter so that it does not afford the proper support forthe arch, and to a large extent destroys the resiliency by WlllCll thearch is gradually raised into its natural position. In my inventionprovide a solld homogeneous, resilient body-portion havlng an unbrokenoutline sothat a firm support is furnished for all parts of the arch,and the thickness can be increased at the highest point of the arch andgradually taperlng toward each side. The-inner side, which 1s ing means,and yet permitting next to the foot, has a smooth and unbroken surfaceso that 1t may be comfortable to'the wearer.

In order that the body of the supporter may properly yield to themovements of the foot, and may conform to the shape thereof, I provide aseries of intermediate transverse corrugations a upon the outer sidethereof which permit the body to yield more readily throng yet permitthis portion to be made thicker than the remaining portions. I find thatthis feature enables my supporter to conform accurately to the shape ofthe foot and to produce a gentle pressure upon the delicate ligaments ofthe arch Without causing pain or inconvenience to the wearer, and at thesame time forming a firm support which assists the foot to assume itsnatural position. v

For the pur ose of securing the supporter to the foot, I inclose thebody A in'a casing or cover B of leather or other flexible material. Anelastic strap 0 is fastened atc to the outside of the casing, the otherend being threaded through a stirrup or loop D formed integral with thecasing by cutting parallel slots on either side strap C is threadedthrough the stirrup D from the bottom, the free end 0' returning uponitselfas shown in Fig. 2 so that when the strap is slipped over the footit will be drawn tightly over the edge of the casing and securely heldfrom slipping, thus avoiding the necessity for buckles or other fastenaready adjustm nt of the strap when t c bandage is off of the foot.

My supporter is intended to be slipped over the stocking and will besecurely held in the properposition on the foot as it is being slippedinto a shoe.

It w f ll'bo readily perceived that my arch supporter may be made to fiteither the right or left foot, or a foot of any size, as may be desireHaving now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Pat: cut, is

1. An arch-supporter for a foot comprlsing a body of solid homogenousresilient material shaped to conform to the arch of the foot, said bodybeing smooth on the inner side and of greatest thickness through theintermediate longitudinal portion and 5' out the central portion thereofand thereof. The

tapering therefrom toward the opposite edges, and being provided withtransverse corrugations on the outer side of said solid body in theintermediate part of said thickest portion. v

2. An arch-supporter 'for deformed, fiat or weak feet comprising aresilient body portion shaped to conform to the arch of a foot,

said body portion being smooth on the inner side and provided withcorrugations in the outer central portion thereof, a casing inclosingsaid body por-t1on and having a loop ta'ched to the casing and havingits free end passing through sald'loop to be held in fixed position bypressure agamst the foot of the 1:

wearer.

In testimon whereofI affix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

p j g ARTHUR. QUENZER. Witnesses:

MARY F. CLARKE, FRANCIS J.- 'MAOHIN.

